[FREE IRAN Project] In The Spirit Of Cyrus The GreatViews expressed here are not necessarily the views & opinions of ActivistChat.com. Comments are unmoderated. Abusive remarks may be deleted. ActivistChat.com retains the rights to all content/IP info in in this forum and may re-post content elsewhere.

Hopefully this really is the beginning of the end; but NEVER underestimate the brutallity of the mullah's regime - unfortunately many will have to die before we see freedom in Iran.

And many more will suffer and die if the Mullahs are not removed from power. God bless the Iranians inside Iran - may they fight courageously until victory has been won!_________________IRANIANS UNITEPERSIA LIVES ON!!FREE IRAN NOW!

I think we must understand that as long as we do not have an ORGANIZED movement against the regime, we will also not be taken seriously by the media. With all due respect for Dr. Yazde, but if you listen to his/their press conferences, you can't help feeling somewhat embarassed. His lack of command of the English language, and the many errors he makes, is the least of the shortcomings. The content of his message and the way he represents it, would definitely cause me to be most cautious in my coverage of him and his movement if I were a journalist. We need some people who know how to talk, and how to present things and themselves in a professional and sophisticated manner. Once we have that, then I'm confident that we will be taken more seriously by the media and the world. So far, in the last 25 years, most of the figures who have tried to stir things up in the Iranian opposition have been nothing else than incompetent amateurs, who all have lacked some or all of the following:
1) Good command of the English and Persian languages
2) An educated, rational and intelligent approach to the subject of Iranian affairs and politics
3) Strong knowledge of political strategies and tactics 4) Charisma & impressive image
5) Public Relations savvy & sophisticated press contact experience or knowledge.
6) Courage and strong will (Perhaps one of the most important)

The one who HAS most of these is undoubtedly Shahzadeh Reza Pahlavi, but unfortunately I suspect that he lacks some other abilities, which is probably why he has not been so successful til this date.

Dr. Yazdi most probably has a noble intent - However, when listening to him, his speeches are no more sophisticated than the speech of a 12 year old. Most of the Iranians who are supporting him are doing so because they're so desperate for a change of regime. At this point I am ready to follow almost anyone (Not Mujahedin-e Khalq ofcourse!) because of the desperation that I feel after 26 years.

redemption wrote:

One has to wonder if any of the MEK are helping to stir this up? The bottomline is that if hundreds of thousands and millions of Iranian rise up and take to the streets - the regime will be DEAD !! One also has to look at the timing of this in accordance with Presidential debates and the Dr. Yazdi character who is planing to fly into Iran. Going to have to watch things closely over the next few days...

I'm glad you've spoken up about this because I was getting the same feeling when listening to Dr. Yazdi. His intent seems well and that he is very passionate, but as someone to represent the opposition and a leadership role, he is lowsy - especially when trying to convey a message to the non-Iranian public.

Who knows what is going on. I know that I never speant much time listening to Yazdi or paying attention to him until he started flipping this flying to Iran thing. Anyhow - Iranians need to unite, but the IRI is smart and they always pay off certain individuals, govt representatives, etc... to counter all of the efforts by the opposition.

Bottomline is we should be looking towards the Iranian population on the ground in Iran to take the major effort in this, because unfortunately so many Iranians are not united around one leader - and this is primarily because people like Shahzadeh Reza Pahlavi have not come out more strongly and said "I will lead..." Although - I don't think Reza has much flexibility since he kind of relies on US Govt for a lot of things - but still, he must help his people!_________________IRANIANS UNITEPERSIA LIVES ON!!FREE IRAN NOW!

An official building harboring an Islamic propaganda and surveillance office was set on fire, on Tuesday, in the northern city of Rasht located in the Guilan province near the Caspian sea.

Unidentified assailants were able to inflict heavy damages to the building and escape without being harmed.

More and more exasperated Iranians are sizing any occasion to protest or are choosing violent manners in order to destabilize the Islamic regime. Armed actions are in constant raise as an increasing number of Iranians are believing that the mullahs won't step down from political power by just peaceful means._________________Referendum AFTER Regime Change

"I'm ready to die for you to be able to say your own opinions, even if i strongly disagree with you" (Voltaire)

Yes indeed - Dr. Yazdi is FAR from being the ideal leader - but that just proves one thing here: The high degree of desperation and frustration many Iranians feel - and if things continue like they have, this kind of frustration could sooner or later become so explosive that it will erupt into a horrible bloodshed. But it could also eventually lead to increased separatist sentiments among some of the very young, who are too young to remember a more or less healthy Iran. The Iranian opposition is a total disaster. Just look at "Sur-e Esrafil" (Azadi TV) and see how he constantly cursing and attacking other opponents and monarchists left and right. This kind of attitude is a venom for any opposition group. If we cannot respect people who have the same political aspirations and ideas as ourselves, and launch hate-campaigns with the intent to defame those people, then there is no chance that we will ever be able to inflict any damage upon the "Islamic" republic!

redemption wrote:

Pan Iranist -

I'm glad you've spoken up about this because I was getting the same feeling when listening to Dr. Yazdi. His intent seems well and that he is very passionate, but as someone to represent the opposition and a leadership role, he is lowsy - especially when trying to convey a message to the non-Iranian public.

Who knows what is going on. I know that I never speant much time listening to Yazdi or paying attention to him until he started flipping this flying to Iran thing. Anyhow - Iranians need to unite, but the IRI is smart and they always pay off certain individuals, govt representatives, etc... to counter all of the efforts by the opposition.

Bottomline is we should be looking towards the Iranian population on the ground in Iran to take the major effort in this, because unfortunately so many Iranians are not united around one leader - and this is primarily because people like Shahzadeh Reza Pahlavi have not come out more strongly and said "I will lead..." Although - I don't think Reza has much flexibility since he kind of relies on US Govt for a lot of things - but still, he must help his people!

The commander of the Law Enforcement Force, Commander Qalibaf, has said some people were arrested in Tehran on Sunday [26 September] following clashes instigated by "counter-revolutionary elements" and opposition currents. There were similar but "unimportant" incidents in Esfahan and another city, he said. He said recent arrests of journalists were carried out on the instructions of the judiciary.

Answering a series of questions on the Pakdasht child murder case, Qalibaf stressed that the police force was very short staffed. He said that despite falls in the crime rate over the past two years, there was still a feeling of insecurity in the country. the following is the text of a report by the Iranian newspaper Etemaad web site on 28 September

The activities and approaches of the Law Enforcement Force on Sunday night in certain districts were in complete accordance with its legal responsibility to ensure security in the society.

Commander Qalibaf, the Commander of the Law Enforcement Force, made this statement in an interview with reporters. He then set out to elaborate on the performance record of the Law Enforcement Force in recent years, and went on to say: Unfortunately, every now and then, some foreign media channels, some counter-revolutionary elements and political currents opposed to the political system try to raise some issues as a pretext to invite the people to gather in the streets of the city [as a protest action]. The events of Sunday night should be placed in that category.

He emphasised that in some areas there had been scattered clashes as well, and in the process some people had been arrested. The E'temad correspondent then asked: "Do you not think that the large scale presence of the police force at the level and concentration which was witnessed on Sunday night in some streets of Tehran, or even the disruption in the operation of the timer systems of traffic lights which in turn led to a heavy traffic jam across Tehran were in themselves factors which provoked the people and created a tense, police atmosphere?" Commander Qalibaf responded: Whenever and wherever we feel the safety and security of citizens is under threat, we will use all our means in order to control the situation and bring about security. We will do this even if it gives the impression of a so-called police state. All of the measures adopted on Sunday night were within this framework.

He then referred to similar incidents in two other cities, including Esfahan, and described these incidents as unimportant.

In response to a question by another newspaper reporter, Commander Qalibaf explained the nature of the Premises Bureau [Persian: Edareh-ye Amaken; part of Law Enforcement Force in charge of ensuring compliance with the Islamic code of conduct at public premises] and its recent arrest of some writers and newspaper journalists. He said: In the last two years, we have announced time and again that the HQ of the Premises Bureau has moved to another location, and right now, the old building is being used by the Intelligence Bureau of the Law Enforcement Force.

He went on: However, with regard to the recent arrests, I must say that we are only here to implement the instructions and warrants of the judiciary power. With regard to the recent cases, all the arrests and detentions took place with the consent of the judiciary organs, and the fact remains that the Law Enforcement Force can never take independent and autonomous action to arrest and detain any of the country's citizens.

Touching on the incidents at Pakdasht and the LEF's approaches towards them, Commander Qalibaf said: This case is going through its normal stages at the present, and if during the investigations it is ascertained that one or more personnel of the Law Enforcement Force have committed offences, you can rest assured that the guilty parties will be handed over to the relevant judicial authorities.

He added: As I have said time and again in the past, we are facing severe shortage of manpower in most regions of the country, and this shortage is not confined to areas such as Pakdasht and Qiyamdasht. However, this cannot be used as an excuse for failing to do our job properly. With regards to the specific case of the incidents in Pakdasht, the people should be confident that even if all the other organs and officials which have been involved in the case decide to abandon the case, personally, I will not let the issue rest until a definite conclusion is reached and a final verdict is issued.

Commenting on the rumours suggesting that the first defendant in the Pakdasht case had in the first instance been released on the basis of formal guarantees given by one of the personnel of the Law Enforcement Force, Commander Qalibaf said: The person mentioned in this connection is a member of the traffic police who a distant relative of the defendant. At that particular juncture, on the basis of a decision by the judge in charge of the case and completely legally, this person became the official guarantor of the first defendant. Subsequently, again on the basis of a formal decision by the judge, the defendant was lawfully released from detention. On the basis of the same mode of reasoning, this affair was completely based on kin relations, and as such, it had nothing to do with the intervention of the Law Enforcement Force or its personnel in this legal case.

In his interview, Commander Qalibaf referred to the phenomenon of improper Hijab [Islamic dress code for women], and said: Although we believe the use of police methods and tactics is not the best way of approaching moral and social ills, those people who appear on the streets dressed as mannequins will certainly be confronted.

Asked about the crimes committed in Pakdasht, Commander Qalibaf said: No one can deny that the number of police personnel and the force's facilities and equipment are in any way proportionate to the current population of the country. To give you an example, to investigate and process a criminal case for instance murder requires an average of 336 hours of investigation, while a lesser offence such as theft requires an average of 37 hours. This should be seen against the background that we currently have only one officer for every 66 cases.

He went on: We face this problem in Pakdasht and many other regions as well. In a town like Pakdasht, with a population of around 300,000 which includes around 100,000 Afghans - even if a Law Enforcement Force station with some 100 personnel operates around the clock, the police force is still not going to be able to ensure the necessary security in the area. To make things worse, I am being asked to utilise 300 personnel in order to ensure the security of the Imam Khomeyni International Airport. Of course, I did not agree to this request. Unfortunately, in 1381 [year which ended on 21 March 2003], in spite of all the efforts made and all the correspondence and exchanges, a scheme to recruitment the necessary personnel for the Law Enforcement Force was shelved, because one of the relevant officials failed to pay enough attention to the decisions of the Government and the Majlis. I felt so strongly about this issue that I lodged a complaint against this person with the State Supreme Administrative Court.

Furthermore, he acknowledged that compared to other countries of the world, the feeling of insecurity in Iran was relatively high, and went on to say: In spite of a drop in the crime rate in 1381 by around 97 per cent, and by around 43 per cent in 1382 [figures as published], the feeling of insecurity in the country has not diminished.

The Commander of the Law Enforcement Force commented on the supervision methods adopted to ensure the security of historical and cultural heritage sites and the country's tourism industry in general, and said: The Law Enforcement Force as a whole has embarked on a review of the existing procedures in order to protect the country's cultural and historical heritage and look after the needs of tourists. We hope that with this, and also with the contacts which have taken place with other departments, the problems in this field are going to be resolved in the near future.

"On this eve of the 95th anniversary of the Constitutional Revolution we strongly believe that the future is in our credit. Iran might seem to have lost track from her path to reach the Great Civilizaion; however, the recent events prove that changes are underway. In this day and age of globalization, Iran has too important a place for it to be ignored. Though it seems everything visible has been burnt to the ground, but the roots of our great civilization lie buried in thousands of years of history."

“The vision of future Iran emanating from the creative ferment of the Iran of today is one of a society once again attaining greatness. With half a population less than one generation old and with an ancient heritage to build upon, the nation is at once more than 2,500 years mature and less than twenty years young. This duality expresses itself in an ever-widening interaction with all parts of the globe, complemented by a renewed sense of cultural roots.” – Nader Khalili

Its the story about 1 being shot in the collapsed loan fund protests. Here's an English version of the story:

Iran: Small Depositors Lose their Savings and Get Shot

September 30, 2004
Agence France Presse
AFP

TEHRAN -- A string of Islamic interest-free loan funds have been collapsing across Iran in recent months, sparking anger and violence from small depositors, with the latest unrest leaving one person dead and several others hurt.

State television reported earlier this week that the judiciary had declared yet another fund bankrupt in the central town of Nourabad, near Shiraz, with the resulting clashes between furious customers and police causing the bloodshed.

The loan-granting system of the Zolfaghar-Ali fund was "illegal", the report said.

According to the conservative-run news website Baztab, residents of the southwestern city of Nourabad in the southwestern province of Fars had more than 360 billion rials (almost 41 million dollars) deposited in such funds.

The student news agency ISNA said some 400 clients gathered in protest and proceeded to burn down the fund's offices, before moving on to attack several public buildings.

Before order was restored, at least one demonstrator was shot dead. At least 14 others were hurt and ISNA said 47 arrests were made.

The banking operations by such loan funds, founded by conservatives to follow an Islamic banking system, have caused several crises throughout Iran in recent months and triggered street protests.

The system allows depositors after a few months to take interest-free loans of double the amount deposited. But the funds invest and speculate with the deposits, often leaving them without resources to meet high demand for loans.

Furthermore, clients are usually from poorer sections of the population -- prone to trusting anything "Islamic" yet badly in need of cheap loans.

What appeared to have happened in the case of the latest failure was that amid several other failures, more and more depositors were trying to get their money back -- eventually forcing the fund under.

In recent months, several districts around the central city of Isfahan have reported similar bankruptcies.

One official was quoted as saying in the press that "thirteen funds there have had liquidity problems and could not refund money" to some 600,000 investors who had placed up to 5 trillio rials (570 millions dollars) with them.

Several hundred of the cheated savers even headed up to Tehran to demand the intervention of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

But the topic remains ultra-sensitive, given that the banks are presented as "Islamic" and, in addition, are thought to be well connected.

"There are something like 6,000 of these funds, and some of them are bigger than Iranian banks," one national banking expert told AFP on condition that he not be identified.

The reformist government and its allies who sat in the previous parliament had attempted to place these funds under the control of the Central Bank, but the expert pointed out that they are "mostly controlled by people close to the conservatives" -- the dominant political current in the regime.

"In the absence of any sort of control, we see all kinds of funds. There are cases of embezzlement, robberies and scams," said the source.

My thoughts go those who have the courage to stand up against this regime. Whatever their beliefs, they have my utter most respect. I hope that these proud Iranians youths will be sucsessful!_________________Zoroaster's philosophy: Good thoughts, good words, good deeds.
Pâyandeh bâd xâke Irân e mâ!

Hundreds of Afghani Arabs crossed from Iran to Iraq in the last few weeks especially via Diyala province and Hemreen Mountains.

Iran playing a dirty role in Iraq not only by allowing the thugs to cross borders and provides them with facilities to help in that but also in destabilizing and controlling the situation in the South. The influence of the Iranian secret forces in Basrah is public under the eyes of the British forces and with their silence. They implement their role by force and by their names. They encourage the Southern provinces to separate. They know separation increase the chance for civil war.

Iran in 1979 tried to export its propaganda to Iraq and the oil states in the Gulf but they failed. The same leaders (minus Khomeini) trying to do the same now. This time is not to export propaganda but to stop an imminent revolution inside Iran which is already started indeed.

The Iranian government is fool because if the separation succeeded the first thing to happen is for the Arabs in south west Iran to request separation and may even request to unite with the new big oil producing Shia Arab state which extend from Baghdad to includes Arabstan inside Iran. This state will then be the replacement for Saudi Arabia because it will be the biggest oil producing in the world. This of course will lead to disintegration of Saudi Arabia into 4 states. The richest among them will be the Shia Eastern province with its ARAMCO rich oil producing region. More than that is the Kurds in Iran will separate as well as the Bashton and other nationals._________________Referendum AFTER Regime Change

"I'm ready to die for you to be able to say your own opinions, even if i strongly disagree with you" (Voltaire)

The Iranian government is fool because if the separation succeeded the first thing to happen is for the Arabs in south west Iran to request separation and may even request to unite with the new big oil producing Shia Arab state which extend from Baghdad to includes Arabstan inside Iran. This state will then be the replacement for Saudi Arabia because it will be the biggest oil producing in the world. This of course will lead to disintegration of Saudi Arabia into 4 states. The richest among them will be the Shia Eastern province with its ARAMCO rich oil producing region. More than that is the Kurds in Iran will separate as well as the Bashton and other nationals.

This guy is saying some interesting things, but to claim that the Arabs living in i Khuzestan would rise up and demand self-rule or something in that matter, is just bullocks. I know that I have claimed that that is a possibility, but I have reason to think otherwise now. Khuzestan as well as Kordestan is a part of Iran an has always been that.

But this is all off-topic.

Is there any mainstream media reporting about the events taking place in Iran anyway? Such a shame!_________________Zoroaster's philosophy: Good thoughts, good words, good deeds.
Pâyandeh bâd xâke Irân e mâ!

I have emailed all the large papers in the country which I reside in and have told them about the situation in Iran, but somehow I don't think that that will make them start reporting it._________________Zoroaster's philosophy: Good thoughts, good words, good deeds.
Pâyandeh bâd xâke Irân e mâ!